DNA Special: Know what RRR song ‘Naatu Naatu’ win at Oscars 2023 means for Indian film industry

Today, not just India but the entire world is dancing to the tunes of the energetic and catchy song Naatu Naatu, which is the trademark song of the superhit movie RRR. Naatu Naatu scripted history for India as it bagged the Oscar 2023 for the Best Original Song category.

This song from SS Rajamouli's superhit film RRR has been awarded the biggest honor in the film world i.e. Oscar Award. This song has received the Oscar Award in the Best Original Song category, and this is the first time that an Indian film has received this honour.

Although earlier in the year 2008, AR Rahman also received the Oscar Award for the song 'Jai Ho' from the film 'Slumdog Millionaire', it was a British film. So, it can be said that through Naatu Naatu, India has got its first Oscar, and that's why this award is very special not only for Indian cinema but for the whole country...

But it was not only Naatu Naatu who made this occasion of celebration and happiness special because the Indian film The Elephant Whisperers also bagged the Oscar award for Best Documentary Film.

There was a time when it used to be a big deal for Indian films to be selected for prestigious awards like Oscar or Golden Globe, but today India's wait for Oscar is over, that too with not just one, but two Academy Awards in the same year.

As soon as it was announced that Naatu Naatu has won the award for Best Original Song at the Oscars 2023, the entire Dolby Theater of Los Angeles started echoing with thunderous applause, and this applause was felt in the hearts of all the Indians watching the ceremony from home.

This win is also very special because the category in which RRR song Naatu Naatu won this award included songs from veteran composers and lyricists from all over the world. The nominations in this category included Lady Gaga’s Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick, Rihanna’s Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Applause from Tell It Like A Woman, and This is a Life from Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The music of the Naatu Naatu song from the RRR movie is given by MM Keeravani, while it is written by lyricist Chandrabose. The Hindi version of the song Naatu Naatu is titled Naacho Naacho. It is possible that the Hindi-speaking audience has heard only the Hindu version of this song, so it is important to know that the Academy Award has been won by the Telugu version of the Naatu Naatu.

61-year-old MM Keeravani, who composed the music for this song, is a famous Telugu composer... and he also gave the music for the superhit film Bahubali. Keeravani also received the National Award for Best Music Director for the film Annamayya in the year 1997.

Naatu Naatu’s win at the Oscars 2023 is a big historical moment for India, as it gave a prominent stage to regional music composers and directors in the international arena, while many regional movies don’t even get prominence in the Bollywood-dominated Indian film industry.

As the south Indian film industry is on the rise across the globe, many films still fail to gain recognition in India, a fact which is surely set to change after Naatu Naatu’s big win.

READ | Naatu Naatu wins at Oscars: Emotional fans thank SS Rajamouli and MM Keeravani for making India proud